Carnival Kicks Off in Lucerne

Thursday, February 4, 2016 (Dirty Thursday)

Lucerne, Switzerland

Carnival season has kicked off here in Lucerne, with tens of thousands of costumed Swiss partiers prowling the streets for parades, music and street partying.  40-50 marching bands, many dressed as monsters, wander from plaza to plaza pounding their drums late into the night to entertain the locals and scare away winter's ghosts.

The festivities continue with more parades, music, marching and partying through Fat Tuesday.